List of Merits and Flaws (Storyteller System)
For a list of Merits in the Storytelling System, see List of Merits (Storytelling System). This is a list of Merits and Flaws in the Storyteller System used by the Classic World of Darkness and other game lines. Some traits are presented as Merits in some sources and as Backgrounds in others; this list only covers sources that list traits as Merits. Merits One Animal Affinity The character has an innate understanding of and rapport with a certain type of animal. All difficulties dealing with that Animal are reduced by 2. (DSBH) Elysium Domain The character controls some part of the city's Elysium. She is its recognized protector and in many ways it is considered her domain but it does not belong to the character and other Kindred can enjoy it freely. The character gains respect as the Keeper of Elysium which she controls. (DSBH) Entrepreneur Making money comes easy to the character. All difficulty of rolls that involve acquiring money through business are reduced by 2. (DSBH) Innocent You are always thought of in the most postivie light, unless evidence exists to prove otherwise. If you do something wrong and the act is not easily attributed to you, it will most likely be blamed on someone else. This does not mean that you are "an innocent" - it means everyone thinks you are. (INQ) Light Sleeper You need less sleep than other mortals; you can function quite well on four hours a night. If the Storyteller imposes penalties on other mortals for sleep deprivation (1 or 2 die penalties are suggested), then you are exempt. Needless to say this allows you to accomplish a lot more with your daily activities, regardless of whether you are an Inquisitor or a freelance writer. (INQ) Natural Leader You are a natural born leader. While not everyone will simply surrender authority to you, they will usually consent to "follow your lead." Reduce the difficulty level of any situation directly related to leadership by 3. (INQ) Safe Passage The character has the right to pass through the territory of some other vampire or sect that does not normally allow others (or at least members of his particular sect) passage through their territory. Toreador often have this Merit for various hostile cities, allowing them to enjoy the Elysium of those cities without fear. (DSBH) Student ''' The character serves as a mentor to a younger, more inexperienced vampire. The student is most likely a neonate or an Ancillae. This student will assist the character as he commands, but he also considers this Kindred his ward. The character takes responsibility for training this vampire and for protecting her from harm. (DSBH) Two '''Estatic '''This is a Merit of dubious benefit. You are prone to the features of religious ecstasy - stigmata, glossalia (speaking in tongues), visions and trances, et al. While some may distrust you as a religious hysteric, you will be highly regarded among other Inquisitors as "touched by God." Add 1-die to any rolls involving social interationcs in the Society. (INQ) '''Sanctuary Another vampire has promised the character protection from all harm should he come to her for sanctuary. This may be a mentor, a sire, or someone who owes him a boon. The vampire has the power to protect the character from most threats. (DSBH) Holy Aura Your aura, no matter what color it takes, is unusually brilliant to those who can see it; you are practically a beacon among other mortals, burning with a religious devotion. Even those who cannot see auras are immediately drawn to your presence. Some Supernaturals will find this a positive aspect; others, particularly Kindred, may likely be hostile to you. Many will believe you to possess great power (regardless of the truth), and will be appropriately respectful of you. (INQ) Sanctity This Merit is sometimes called the halo effect; everyone considers the player pure and innocent, though not necessarily not naive. The player has a saint-like quality that is hard to pinpoint but cannot be denied. The player is trusted, even if they are not trustworthy. At the Storyteller's discretion, the players tend to receive lesser punishments for wrongdoing, and they are liked by most. Well-Traveled The character has traveled all over the globe, seen many different cities, and met a great number of Kindred. There is a chance he will know of a vampire from another city when he hear his name. This is an intelligence roll (difficulty 10 - the Kindred's Status). (DSBH) Three Bloodsuckle You find yourself able to suck blood from extremities without piercing the skin, reducing the difficulty of self control rolls made to control the feeding. Additionally you get 1 extra blood point on a successful feed, which is usually lost through messiness and healing the wound. (DSBH) Ecclesial Rank (1 - 3 Merit) '''In addition to being a member of the Society of Leopld, you are also a member of the Roman Catholic hierarchy. This Merit determines your standing within the heirarchy. Note that anyone possessing a high rank within the Church is usually at least in their mid-30s. (INQ) '''Mage Companion The character is friends with someone who has Awakened and is a Mage. She can be of any Tradition, Craft, or Convention but most likely is a member of the Euthanatos or Verbena. (DSBH) Soothing Voice Your voice is calm and soothing, almost entrancing. You may add 2 dice to all rolls that directly include use of your voice: singing, preaching, leadership, etc. (INQ) Symbol Independence 'The use of True Faith against a supernatural creature typically requires use of a holy symbol. However, Inquisitors and other hunters with this Merit are free from this restriction; they may use their Faith unfettered by any such psychological or religious crutch. (INQ) '''Valuable Secret (1 - 3 Merit) ' Others would kill or die to know this secret the character guards. The Valuable Secret should be created and given by the Storyteller. Perhaps the character knows that the prince is an Infernal Diablorist or that the primogen are actually all Sabbat. Whatever the case, only those involved in the secret and the character know about the Valuable Secret. (DSBH) '''Wraith Companion The character has a mentor that is a wraith. The character will be able to touch and see him if in the Underworld, but in the Skinlands only the wraith will be able to contact the character unless the character has rituals or powers that allows her to see and interact with the Shadowlands (cWOD) from the Skinlands. (DSBH) Four Airport The character controls a major airport, and all Kindred who would use it must answer to him, for it is his domain. (DSBH) Ecumenist '''Although you are steadfast in your own faith, you recognize the workings of the Holy Spirit, which "bloweth where it listeth," in other religions. Usually, when using True Faith, you must use a holy symbol from your own religious tradition. With this Merit, you see the divine spark at the core of religions beyond your own, and you are able to make use of their religious icons and holy ground when confronting the supernatural. Likewise, a group of individuals from different religious traditions, all with this Merit, may "pool" their Faith for greater effect. (INQ) '''Extremist Group The character has both Influence over and Contacts within an extremist group of some sort. This could be a group of near insane survivalists with a cause, some hate group or a terrorist group. This group provides him with assistance, and possibly even agents to handle his dirty work. It might also provide him with ties to similar groups. The more often he use your ties, the weaker they grow. (DSBH) Inconnu Associate ''' The character is friends with another Kindred who belongs to the Inconnu. Though he may call upon his friend in times of need, she may call on him as well. Neither of the sects appreciate such relationships, and his leaders would punish him if his friendship were discovered. Arranging methods of communication and meeting places will be difficult. (DSBH) '''Iron Will (Mortal) '''This version of Iron Will is the same as the one for Vampire except that it costs one extra point (for a total of four) for a mortal hunter to be immune to Kindred Domination. (INQ) '''Prophetic Ability God speaks to you in signs and portents, visions and images. SOme visions may be precognitive, while others might be warnings or advice. You cannot request or induce a prophetic vision; they come on their own. These visions will range from the obvious to the symbolic; the exact nature and effect of the visions is up to the Storyteller. This merit should provide dramatic mements, and players should not come to rely upon them for plot resolution. (INQ) Sorcerous Awareness '''For some reason, you have been gifted with the ability to detect when any of the Devil's arts (i.e. magic) is in use or has been used recently within a 10' radius of yourself. This also includes all supernatural Disciplines and Gifts. How much you may knowabout this magic depends upon the number of successes you roll using Perception + Occult (dificulty 8). (INQ) '''University The character has control over a university. The trustees and important officials serve his interests. The character has full access to the school, and he can hunt the campus freely. The professors and libraries are useful in providing him with research information. The campus also has lots of computer equipment, along with those who know how to use it. (DSBH) Five Castle The character owns a castle with at least 50 rooms and maybe as many as 500. He also controls a large estate around the castle. The servants, if he has any, are provided for if you choose this Merit. The castle can be in as poor or as good a condition as the character wishes. The more inhabited it appears to be, the more attention it will garner. Characters in the New World cannot have this Merit unless they can justify it - "An insane relative had the castle moved from Scotland, stone by stone." (DSBH) Fountain of Life '''The healing power of God runs through you. Non-Aggravated damage (normally an irrelevant distinction for mortals, who have no supernatural means of healing damage) heals as though it is one wound level less. If you are Wounded, you will heal in one week. If you are Bruised, you will heal in a matter of hours. If you are not wounded, then those who are under your medical care will heal at your enhanced rate as well. Note that this might seem "miraculous," but it will not be scientifically verifiable. You won't get canonized just for this. Unfortunately, vampires find your blood particularly strong and tasty - twice as potent as that of other mortlas, in fact. Even better, you heal more quickly. Vampires consider you in the same manner you look at an all-you-can eat buffet. (INQ) '''Strong Blood The character's blood is especially potent. Any Kindred who tastes his blood will find it extremely rich and potent and will recognize its great strength. Any diabolist who tastes it will lust after it. The character can Blood Bond someone with but two drinks of his blood. (DSBH) Six Clear Sighted You can see through all levels of Kindred Obfuscate, Chimerstry, and other related Disciplines or Gifts with a Perception + Alerness roll (difficulty of the opposing power's level + 3). (INQ) Seven Capable Assistant The character has another vampire who acts as her right hand in everything. This vampire is loyal, capable, and powerful enough to stand against anyone in her way. She may be Blood Bound to the character but would serve anyway. (DSBH) Fist of God With this Merit, sometimes called the "Witch-Hammer," you can cause aggravated damage to a Kindred or other supernatural creature by simply striking her. Work with your Storyteller to create a good reason for this effect, and how it developed. The damage done is Standard Brawling damage, only it is considered aggravated against supernaturals. Only mortal with a Humanity of seven or higher may purchase (or keep) this Merit. (INQ) Flaws One Anachronism (Mortal) '''This Flaw reads exactly the same as the Mortal Society flaw for Vampires, however, its point value is diminished because it has limited effect. (INQ) '''Blackmailed '''The character is being blackmailed by another Kindred who is powerful and smart enough to keep the character from destroying her nemesis. The character is used by the Blackmailer to her personal advantage, forcing all sorts of awful things. Money or blood may be taken or she may force the character to aid the blackmailer in her own schemes. (DSBH) '''Irretractable Fangs The character is unable to retract his fangs. He should be very careful, lest the wrong mortals see them. Vicissitude 3 (Bonecraft) can be used to forcibly cause them to shrink, but the process is painful and the fangs will return the next night. (DSBH) Isolated Upbringing (Inquisition) '''You were born to an Inquisitor, or you were adopted by the Society at an early age. The entirety of your life has been training to be an Inquisitor, a warrior for the Society of Leopold. Unfortunately, you have only limited understanding of the world outside the Inquisition. Whenever you are in a non-Society setting, you have a 1-die penalty to all social skills. (INQ) '''Offensive to Animals For some reason, animals cringe from your touch and are uneasy in your presence. Perhaps it is because you have been tainted by your dealings with the Infernal, or perhaps they just dislike your smell. For whatever reason, animals are jittery around you, including any hounds used to guard your Cenaculum. You have a 2-Dice penality in any actions involving animals. (INQ) Two Dark Heritage '''Your bloodline has been tainted in the eyes of the Inquisition. You might have had a distant ancestor who was burned at the stake for practicing witchcraft, or another relative is believed to have become one of the children of Caine, or lycanthropy is said to run in your blood. Whatever the case may be, the Inquisition believes that your bloodline is tainted, and you may one day pose a fanger as well ("the sins of the father," after all). Even if your heritage has no other effect on you (in terms of Merits and Flaws, Attributes, or otherwise), you have what you and others believe ot be a blotch on your soul. (INQ) '''Demon Plagued '''Either at one time the character practiced Infernal Diablerie and then broke it off or ran a foul of Baali, or another Infernalist and her cultists. Whatever the case, the vampire is now plagued by the evil efforts of a demon. It constantly tries to cause all sorts of problems but seldom has the power to face the character directly. (DSBH) '''Disreputable Cenacle '''Your cenacle has been shamed by an event in the past. It is considered less prestigious, less trustworthy, or ineffective. (INQ) '''Faerie Hatred The character is hated by the Fae. They find her totaly repulsive either for a past deed or nothing at all. They will thwart any and all plans the character has if they are near by. (DSBH) Secret Friendhsip 'You have a secret friendship with a denizen of the World of Darkness: a vampire, mage, werewolf or other supernatural entity. Knowledge of this would not only destroy your reputation among hunters - it would place you on their hit list. You must always cover up any activities that deal with this friendship, and you are paranoid that your secret is always on the verge of discovery (which it is). (INQ) Three '''Aging (Mortal) '''You are not as spry as you used to be; you must lower any one Physical Attribute score (your choice) by one point. You may this this Flaw once per decade above 40 years of age. (INQ) '''Rebel (1 - 3 Flaw) ' For some reason, you (and possibly your allies) are considered rebels by other Inquisitors. Depending upon your reputation, you might simply be scorned (and don't expect anyone to help you), or you may be hated outright, even as much as the supernaturals. There may be a reason for this reputation, or it might arise simply from a case of maligned reputaiton, or you might have been set up by one of the Kindred (paritcularly the anarchs, who love to do this kind of thing to Inquisitors). (INQ) '''Religious Hysteria '''Even among the devoutly religious, there are those that take things too far. Unlike religious ecstatics, who occasionally have visions of Heaven, your visions seem a bit too often, and a bit too untenable. You see everything as an omen or a sign from God, devils and angels are everywhere, and you just can't read the Good Book too many times. The difference between this Flaw and the Ecstatic Merit is that people don't take you seriously. Whenever you are in any social encounters, you have a 1-die penalty. (INQ) '''Weak Willed (Mortal) '''This version of Weak Willed is the same as the one in Vampire but is worth one extra point for a mortal Inquisitor. Inquisitors with this Flaw cannot use Theurgy (or Thaumaturgy), since their will is too weak for it. (INQ) Seven '''Methuselah's Thirst The character is no longer capable of drinking mortal blood to sustain himself regardless of Blood Potency. He must feed upon the vitae of other Kindred. (DSBH) pt-br:Lista_de_Méritos_e_Falhas_(Sistema_Storyteller) Category:Storyteller System Category:Revised Storyteller System